Disappearance of the Black Player....What do you Think

I am a huge baseball fan and it seems to me like there are two topics dominating the game. Steroids and the sharp decline and disappearance of the african american player. In 1987 1 in 4 baseball players were black americans today it 1 in 12.

Recently Gary Sheffeild has been at the center of the controversy for saying that baseball owners are more willing to go after the latin player because they are easier to deal with than the black player. He also came out and said that baseball doesnt do enough to promote it's black stars. Tori Hunter just came out yesterday and further expanded the ideas by saying that it more of economic issue where scouting, signing, and developing black american players would run into the millions whereas with the latin players it would be in the tens of thousands.


In my opinion both are right. The economics of baseball now mean teams are looking to save money where they can and the fact that it is alot cheaper to go to latin america and find talent is one of the major reason.

Another fact I think that is that younger black kids dont see any people like them playing is a huge factor, in fact the one black baseball player that is seen on tv all the time is Barry Bonds and its for something negative. Eventhough there arent alot of black baseball players there are some that are stars now or on the rise that could be as ambassadors. Unfortunately they play in smaller markets.

EX.
Tori Hunter CF Twins
Ryan Howard 1B Philles
Gary Sheffielf OF/DH Tigers

Another reason I think is that unlike the NFL or NBA there is a minor league system, and you might not get to the majors for 3 or 4 years if ever and unless you are a first round prospect you wont be making that big money untill you do.

Yet another reason is that in the african american community baseball isnt seen held up there with basketball and football as manly sports because its not a physical sport and the perception that it is "easy" and boring. As someone who has played the game in some form or another since I was a little kid I will admit at times the game can be very slow, but as for it being "easy" it is not. You have to be very skilled to hit a an object that is moving at 90 mph from 60'6" away. Hell its hard to hit a target to throw a baseball with control that hard with control.

The final reason reason I see the black player disappearing is that baseball is trying like to NBA to go global, they claim to be the national pastime, but have failed to promote itself to young black men in this country. Hell NASCAR is doing a better job of promoting itself to young african americans. Baseball has academies all over latin america but fails to put them any in urban areas.

I just want to know what you guys think. I mean I am 27 and I would hate that in 15 years when baseball is celebrating the 75th anniversay of jackie robinson breaking the color barrier and I am taking my sons to baseball games for them to ask me why there are no more black american baseball player. We have a rich and great history in the game from the old negro leagues to today. I do not want to see what happened to hockey happen to baseball.

 

Well, let's compare the major sports in the US

The face of the NBA is: Lebron JAMES, Black (appeals to Black kidz)

The face of the NFL: Peyton Manning ,White, but also LT or Reggie Bush, both black, appeal to black kidz again!!!

The face of Baseball: A-Rod (not always for the right reasons), Hispanic, and in a way Barry Bonds, black, but doesn't appeal to anybody (even though I think he is a great player!!!)

Sheffield is right...baseball is turning to hispanic players more, just like Nike or other companies go to some cheaper places to have their shoes or outfit done...

I am not knocking hispanic ppl or players, but they definitely are cheaper and probably, when they are young, easier to control than some black kids from the inner cities!!

 

Bravo.

 

Everybody has been noticing this trend but Gary was the only one brave enough to publicize it. Ebony ran an article just last month as well. Like he said...they are replacing Black players only. Latinos did not join Blacks in ripping down racial barriers back in the day but we paved the road just the same. Although Jeter isn't Black I bet he's made to feels like one since he's on the outs with A-Rod. My heart goes out to Gary as he's being attacked in the media by white reporters.

Basketball is next. After losing the olympics a few times and the influx of foreign players...just watch the rhythm. Hopefully the other athletes will pick up a cop of "40 Million Dollar Slaves" to gain some perspective.

 

as a lover of basketball and the nba...it would be a tragedy if the black players started to disappear due to the drafting of european players...unless of course we are talking about tony parker...the game just wouldn't be the same...i would rather watch a team of all black players than a team of all white players...i have never been a fan of the jazz for that simple reason...a couple of token black players isn't enough...if this were to happen in the nba, i think you would see another league emerge for black players...you just can't deny the talent...the fans won't buy into it...baseball is a completely different story...

 

Plenty of black players in baseball. They just happen to have Spanish surnames.

 

C'mon girls, the black players will NEVER disappear in Basketball...
Think about it...how many baseball diamonds do you have in the inner cities or the projects? no that many right?

Most NBA players come from the inner cities, where u find countless basketball courts...it's a CULTURE, it's the way out of the ghettos...it also pays better, etc...!!!

Oh and of course, WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP!

 

After giving this issue a hard thought, i have to agree with Gary Sheffield's comment and the only reason it stung the white commentators is because it's the cold hard truth. This decline really began in the 1980s but has deteriorated. Coupled with the fact that baseball scouts spend more time overseas, baseball, unless you're being delusional, isn't necessarily the most popular sport amongst the hip hop generation of black youths. Most of these kids were born into the post-1984 Air Jordan era and grew up watching guys like Jordan, Barkley, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Randy Moss, T.O and the list goes on. Basketball and football are the two most popular sports amongst blacks because they're easily manufactured and do not require a lot of money to play. To play baseball, you'd probably need to register with a Sunday little league team and you need to pay. Also, you need a great number of people to play baseball. The same isn't true of basketball and football, especially in the case of basketball, where two people is enough.

And let's be honest, baseball is boring. It just desn't have the high octane, exciting adrenaline rush that basketball and football does. Take basketball for example. If you cross over someone and shoot a jumper in his face, or posteurize someone, or (my personal favorite) swatting the fool's shot into the stands, that is a crowd riser. In football, scoring a touchdown, something that can be done is style and speed, is very enticing to see. But apart from the home run, i don't really see anything that gets fans giddly in baseball.

Lastly but most significantly, football and basketball and more physically demanding, in case you haven't noticed, blacks are very dominant in physical activities. Those two sports are seen as more "masculine" and thus blacks are more interested in it.

As for European players trying to replace black American players, it won't quite happen but they sure will dilute the league. 10 years ago, the NBA was 85% black. Now that number is 75%. And more scouts are looking to Europe a lot these days, with the NBA having set up commissions in London, Barcelona, Milan etc.

However, be that as it may, i still do not think they'd make the NBA any more exciting to white Americans. Because white Americans generally prefer to support white American players or white North Americans. They, for the most part, prefer to support black players than European ones, but when there is a great disparity in talent. Proof : notice the exultation and media orgy given to Nash and Dirk. Plus, European players are known for their great fundamentals, but their offense is disgustingly boring. I appreciate "D", but basketball was created on offense, for better or worse. And, if you notice, low scoring puts Americans off certain sports e.g. soccer.

So, if the European fascination is a designated conspiracy to wipe out black basketball players, they better pack a lunch because Negroes appropriated basketball, and will continue to do so.